Air cleaner or filter for carburetors



April 15, 1930. w. v. LUDLAM v 1,755,011

AIR CLEANER OR FILTER FOR CARBURETORS I Filed sept.. 15, 1927 PatentedApr. l5, 1.930

UNITED STATES IYWARBEN V. LUDLAM, F MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI AIB CLEANER ORFILTER FOR CABBUBETOBS Application led September `15, 1927. Serial No.219,758.

This invention relates to an air cleaner or filter .particularly adaptedfor application to an internal combustion engine and specificallyapplicable to the carburetor of the latter.

The present invention involves a simplified improvement of the structuredisclosed in y pending application Serial No. 147,303,

filed November 9, 1926. y Y

As in my. original structure, the air is puriiedand relieved of dirt anddust, and in this condition is supplied tothe carburetor 4 to render thelatter more effective in its operation with material advantages to theoperation of the motor to which the combustible.

mixture,'including the cleaned air is fed.

In the originalstructure of air cleaner as embodied inthe'said-application Serial No. 147,303, both forms of the air cleaneror filter shown include an outer enclosing casing, and one formcomprises an annular inlet passage traversed by a spiral screw bladesurrounding an enclosed circular frame or' cylinder. In the .presentconstruction thecasing and annular .inlet passage with spiral screwblades have been eliminated, but the same general principle of operationis involved and includes structural means to render the parts' of theimproved cleaner andfilter easily accessible and removable to maintainthe cleaner or filter in a superior serviceable condition,

and also comprises specific means for takingv up and liberating and searating from the incoming air particles of ust anddirt. The

present simplified improvement consists in the novel construction andarrangement of parts which will be more fullyliereinafter described andclaimed.

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of an air cleaner or filterembodying the :features of theinvention. l

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line a.2,1 ig.1.`- f

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective-view of the inner removable dust and dirtse arating mem'- ber with hairs or bristles ,bro en away and partiallyremoved.

y portion of the cleaner or Vfilter showing a 5 modlfication of thestructure.

Fig. 4 is adetail transverseI section of a The numeral 5 designates,Figs.1', 2 and 3 a surrounding enclosure which is reticulated orformedof a single wire gauze of a single chambered cap 6 whichconstitutes an oil chamber and has an upper filling inlet 7 with aremovable cap 8 and a bottom 9 with a se- 60 ries of feed openings 10therethrough. The means for detachably connecting the upper end of theenclosure 5 to the cap 6 preferably consists of an angle ring 11 ofwhich the vertical Hange 12 surrounds and is secured, aS o5 bysoldering, to the exterior of the enclosure at the upper end of thelatter, together with screws 13 extending through the horizontal flangeof said ring and engaging the bottom 9 of the cap 6. The lower end ofthe enclosure 70 is seated against an annular base 14 having an upwardlyprojecting flange 15 which surrounds the lower end of the enclosure andalso having lugs 16 rojecting outwardly therefrom. Screws 1 extendthroughthe lugs 16 75 and engage a lower ring 18 which surrounds and issecured, as by soldering, to the enclo-` sure 5 adjacent the lower endof the latter. The enclosure 5 extends between thebase 9 of the chamber6 and the base 14 of the clean- 30 er, and oil feeding pipes 19 extendthrou h the base 9 and are secured to said base as y screw threads. Thecleaner or filter includes an inner removable receiving membercomprising lower and vupper diaphragms or heads 20 and 26 formed,respectively, with ed e recesses 20 and 26a to loosely fit over anpartially embrace the pipes 19, and also with a plurality of openings 21and 27. The lower ends of the pipes 19 extend through openings 9 in thelower diaphragmf20 andterminate lcoincidentally with the lower side ofthe said diaphragmwhich diaphragm is spaced a predetermined elevationabove the base 14, and

has anenlarged central opening 22 vwhich forms a passage to an elbowpipe 23 adapted to be connectedto a carburetor, said pipe23 .beingscrewed in a central opening 24 of the4 .base 14; Between the diaphragm2O and the base 14 is a pad or filling 25 of absorbent maland resettingof the member.

terial, said pad or filling occupying the space between the base 14 andthe diaphragm around the openings 22 and 24. The u per similar diaphragm26 is spaced from the ase 9 of the chamber 6, and is devoid of anenlarged central opening or passage similar to the opening 22 in thelower diaphragm 20. The upper diaphragm 26 is spaced from the base 9 atapproximately the same distance as the diaphragm 2O is located above thebase 14, and above the diaphragm 26 and between the latter and base 9,is a pad or filling 28 of absorbent material directly under and in di-lrect communication with the openings 10 in the said base 9. Y

Between the two diaphragms and 26 and terminally secured thereto are aplurality of vertical filaments consisting of hairs or bristles 29 whichare arranged around a central open passageway 30,`and continue outwardlyfully to the enclosure 5. These hairs or bristles are threaded throughthe openings 27 of the upper diaphragm 26 as shown by Fi 3, and passedthrough the openings secure to the lower diaphragm 20 after having beenpassed through the lower openings 21. The

openings 21 and 27 are of larger diameter than the hairs or bristles 29to form assages, the hairs or bristles 29 being regular y spaced andstretched taut so as to retain their posi# tion within the enclosure 5.The two diahra 2O and 26 with which the hairs or rist es 29 are directlyassociated are also connected by wires 29, which are rigid and serve assupporting means for sustaining this removable member structure, andholding the said member parts together during removal This removablemember in view of the edge recesses 20 and 27 of the respective diaphras 20 and 26 can be readily separated from t e pipes 19, so as to relievethe hairsvor bristles 29 of accumulations of dust and grit.

When the screws 13 securing the ring 11 to the base 9 of the chamber 6are removed, said chamber and with it the pipes 19 may be lifted out ofthe enclosure 5, whereupon the inner -cleaning or filtering membercomprising the heads 20 and 26, the spacing Wires 29, and hairsorbristles 29 can be lifted out of the upper end of the outer'enclosure5. Or the screws 17 securing the lower ring 18 to the base 14 may beremoved, whereupon cap 6 and pipes 19 may be removed to permit access tothe innercleaning or filtering member and base 14. The pipes 19 arelocated close to 'the inner side of the outer enclosure 5,/ and theperipheries of the diaphragms 20v and 26 are also close to or abut thesaidenclosure, in order that the interior serviceable cleaning area ofthe removable member may be as clear as possible. The s acing wires 29for the diaphragme or hea s 20 and 26 will also be placed to the bestadvantage in the removable member, and will be only of such size ordiameter as to practically serve their urpose. Fig. 4 shows a modifiedform of t e outer enclosure, wherein is comprised an outer wire gauzewall 5, an inner similar wire gauze wall 5b spaced from the wall 5, andan interposed coarse woven fabric or cloth interceptor 5 closely fittingand held between the walls 5 and 5b. This double wire gauze wallenclosure with the interceptor of cloth adds materially to theeffectiveness of the cleaning or filtering of the incoming air, theinterceptor 5c acting to relieve the air of the lar er particles of gritor dirt before the air reac es the hairs or bristles 29 which take u andhold the less coarse grit or dirt carried y the air. In the preparationofthe improved cleaner and filter for use, the chamber 6 is suppliedwith oil and closed,'andy the oil from this chamber asses down throughthe openings 10 in the ase 9, and permeates or saturates the filling orabsorbent material 28, and also passes through the pipes 19 to andsaturates the lower ad or filling 25. The oil from the upper pad) orfilling 28 passes through the openings 27 and through capillarity andgravity descends over and covers the hairs or bristles 29, theoilcarried by the lower pad or filling preventing the hairs or bristlesfrom becoming too dry or from carryin insufiicient oil to perform theirfunctions, an

also serving as a lower receiving means for.

the surplus oil that may ass over the hairs or bristles. The air isreticulated enclosure 5, or the modified enclosure as shown by Fig.l 4,and between the hairs,

or bristles 29 b the suction of the motor crerawn through the ated throuh t e pipe 23 and the opening 22 1s thus provided.' In view oftherelatively close disposition of the hairs or bristles 29, the volume ofdust and grit laden air is thoroughly cleaned or filtered and the airpassing out through theI pipe 23 will be in condition to advantageous ymix with the remainin com onents of the combustible mixture an operationand increase theefliciency of the combustible mixture and the motor. The

` single reticulated enclosure 5, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the modifiedvform `of enclosure, Fi J4,

Y will also act to materially preliminarily c ean the air. i

Itis profosed to applythe improved airV cleaner or ter to any form ofcarburetor to which. it may be adapted, and to make such tween thediaren er thecarburetor more effective in its the outlet for applicationo changes and modifications as fairly fall within the scope of thepending claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. An air cleaner of the class specified, comprising an enclosing reticulated air inlet casing provided with an oilreceptacle, a series of filaments to which oil is fed from saidreceptacle and arranged in substantially parallel relationlongitudinally within the casing around a central passage havinganoutlet at one end of the cleaner, and a pipe connection communicatingwith the outlet of the passage for attachment to a carburetor, thelarger particles of dust and grit being separated from the air in itspassage through the reticulatons of said casing andthe smaller particlesof dust contained in the air being deposited on the oil carryingfilaments during its passage therebetween, the purified air beingliberated through the said passage.

2. An air cleaner of' the class specified, comprising a reticulatedenclosing casing forming the outer cover of the cleaner and provided atone extremity, with an oil receptacle, a remov-` able gritv and dustreceiving member within the casing and comprising a series of lonitudinally extending filaments to which the oil is fed, the filamentsbeing arranged around a central passage communicating with an outlet atone extremity of the cleaner, and a pipe connection attached tOtheoutletfor application of the cleaner to vi;.- ea'rbinetor.

3. An air cleaner oftlieclass specified, comprising an outer reticulatedcasing through which dust laden air is drawn to the interior of thecleaner, an oil receptacle yat one extremity of the cleaner, spaced andunited diaphragms removably mounted within the casing and having aseriesof longitudinally extending filaments connected thereto and towhich oil is fed from the oil receptacle, the filaments being arrangedaround a central open passage raving an outlet. at one extremity of thecleaner, and a ipe connected to i) t e cleaner to a carburetor. t

4. An air cleaner of the class specified, comprising an outerreticulated casing which admits atmospheric dust laden air throughoutthe whole area thereof` to the interior of the cleaner, the reticulated'casing forming the outer cover of the cleaner, anv oil receptacle atone extremity of the cleaner having a base with openings therethrough,an inner removable receiver consisting of spaced and rigidly helddiaphragme having openings therethrough, and filaments extendinglongitudi nally and terminally connected to the respective diaphragmsand arranged around a oem tral open passage having an outlet at one end,and a pipe connected to the outlet for applying the cleaner to acarburetor.

5. An air cleaner of the class specified, comprising, an outerreticulated casin `through laden air is admitted to the interior of thecleaner, a receiver removably mounted within the casing and having upperand lower diaphragms with longitudinal filaments connected thereto andarranged around a central open passage having an outlet at one end, abase and an oil receptacle at opposite extremities of the casing forsupplying oil to the filaments and holding the parts intact, absorbentfillings between the upper diaphragm and the'oil receptacle and alsobetween the lower dia hragm and base, and a pipe connected to t e outletand adapted to be attached to a carburetor.

6. An air cleaner of the class specified, comprising an outerreticulated casing which admits atmospheric dust laden air throughoutthe entire areathereof to the interior of the cleaner, an oil receptacleat one extremity of the casing and having openings throu h the basethereof and a base structure at t e other end of the casing, an innerremovable receiver consisting of oppositely disposed diaphragnis havinglongitudinal filaments associated therewith and also formed with edgerecesses, the diaphragms having openings therethrough at points engagedby the filaments and the latter arranged around a central clear passagehaving an outlet at one end, pipes connected to the oilv receptacleloosely passing through the recesses of the diaphragms, an absorbentfilling interposed between the upper diaphragm and the oil receptacle,al filling below the lower diaphragm and base, and a pipe connected tosaid outlet for operatively applying the cleaner to a carburetor.

' 7. An air cleaner of the class specified, comprising a base at oneextremityand an oil chamber at the opposite extremity, an outer casingconsisting of an outside reticulated wall, an inside reticulated i Halland an interposed cloth wall, a removable member within the saidcomposite casing and having longitudinally extending filaments to whichthe oil is fed, the filaments being arranged around a central passagehaving an outlet through the base, and a pipe connection attached to theoutlet for application of the cleaner to a carburetor. g

In testimony whereof I my hand. V

` WARREN V. LUDLAM.

`the entire area of which atmosp 'eric dust g have hereunto set

